All of the recent hoopla about the SIG P320 potentially firing when dropped reminded me that I had a well-used 1911 in the safe that every once and a while will drop the hammer to half-cock when the slide is racked, particularly on an empty chamber.

Let's get a few things out the way first -- 1. No this is not indicative of 1911s in general or even a particular brand. It was actually my first and served a number of years as a 45 Super (with designer Ace Hindman's help - may he RIP). It was in the process of being upgraded from being VERY well used. 2. Yes, I know that it is very hard on a pistol to drop the slide on an empty chamber. In particular, it is frowned on in the 1911 world. Regardless, it should not fire.

Ok, back to the pistol. I had done a number of upgrades a few years back: sear, disconnector, hammer and trigger. However, the trigger I selected was a 1991 trigger. I chose it because I like the way that it looked, liked how it worked in my Colt's and I knew it would drop in. It turns out that it was not a good choice.As you may have guessed it on occasion dropped to half-cock even after a new and mildly adjusted sear spring. Ok, to be fair, I probably could have really tweaked the leaf spring so that it didn't but I also didn't want a terrible trigger pull.

I ordered a Wilson ultra-light trigger. Why? Because it is a Wilson part, it said "ultra-light" and listed the actual weight. I couldn't find the weight of any of the other triggers I looked at. The theory was that trigger slap - movement actually was activating the hammer. Disassembly revealed that the trigger was RIDICULOUSLY loose in the pistol. I mean up, down, forward, back. This was DEFINITELY the issue.

Now, with my new Wilson trigger I found that it did not fit in like a modern "modular" (aka mass produced pistol) lol. Let's be honest there is nothing on a Glock that will take more than a few minutes to replace. Fitting? Nah, 100rds on the range will do that.

But, like a traditional 1911 part the new trigger did require some fitting. I set out with a small hand-file watching TV to fit it into the channel. OK, 2 hours later it would fit into the channel but definitely not move freely. I used the hand file for about another hour. After that I took out the rotary tool. Yes, impatient! But, it was getting late and I would not have time to work on it the next day before going to the range in the afternoon. And there was a downside to my impatience - the finish. Between being tired and probably whatever I was watching I did not do a great job of paying attention and did manage to scuff the nice matte finish of the trigger. Drat. Well, this is a working pistol, and I would rather have it work than not.

I took it to the range with me and Voila! The pistol had no issues and the trigger is still decent. A success and a very inexpensive fix!

Here is a pic, at some point I will probably take out the trigger and polish it. Until then, it works and function over form.

My first pistol. Originally purchased back in like 1990! It's seen a few rounds through it.

I'll start with the grand finale - the HK P9SK shoots amazingly straight and very comfortably!

From the first mag I was astounded at how accurately I was able to shoot it. My friend even looked over at a group and asked "How many shots was that, 3?" I replied "Nope, 5, it shoots that straight." He replied: "Let me try that thing." And he too was pleasantly surprised with the grouping. I think I shoot it better than my Glock 43! It definitely is a lot more pleasant to shoot.

Of course, if you look at the dimensions, you see why. It is thicker, not only in the grip due to its double-stack frame, but also the slide. The VP9SK also weighs about 5oz heavier - unloaded. I didn't take it apart to see if there was anything special in it, but it definitely shoots more pleasantly than say an M&P Compact. The trigger is better than both the Glock 43 and M&P 9c.

There a coupe of things that I should point out.First, the slide lock is low and long. I found myself accidentally hitting it with my thumb, causing the slide not to lock back a couple of times. This is a training/practice issue. I personally prefer them to be small and out of the way, but I know that others do not.Second, the mag release it not traditional "U.S. Style" meaning that it is located on the side and activated by your strong thumb. I actually don't mind this as prefer them to be out of the way also, but it is definitely not what I am used to and unlike all of my other pistols, except the Walther.

So, in summary, I do not think that the VP9SK is in the same deep concealment class as say the Glock 43. It is also considerably more expensive. The 43 with MagnaPorting is still less. However, I think that accuracy is paramount and HK has a winner. Its shootability and accuracy out of the box in this size/weight class is something of an anomaly and I want one. HK needs to come up with an instructor program!

I was excited when I was invited to do an evaluation of the MantisX (www.mantisx.com) training system. I think that one of the best things that an instructor can do during living fire is to literally stand behind the shooter while they shoot and watch their front sight. Once you gauge what the shooter is doing you can then examine what is contributing to any movement. It is something very hard, if not impossible, for a new shooter to do on their own.

In a nutshell, the MantisX is an "accelerometer" that tracks vertical and horizontal motion of the device. The shooter attaches the Mantis to their pistol rail. It is partnered with its shooting app that compiles the results. All from the convenience of your iOS or Android phone! You can view the results per shot or after a string of shots, sucha as a grouping, mag, target, etc.

The Mantis allows a shooter to practice without the need of having an additional person “spot!” I feel, and hope, that this will encourage people to shoot more. I know that for at least me, it would could potentially allow for a more productive range session – especially since I seem time limited. I got my Mantis and after quickly skimming the instructions I attached it to a Glock.

Attaching the Mantis is simple as it is designed for railed pistols. The unit separates in half and clamps on the rail. There is a screw that goes through the device and locks in place going through a rail notch. I was pleased to see that it came with not only a flat-head screw but also one that has knurled knob so that you can finger tighten it. Why two? I am not sure, but I tried both and didn't see a difference. To be fair it was a while before I noticed the knurled and found myself using at first a bottle opener to take it on and off and then later a screwdriver. The knurled knob is tool-less and much easier to use.

I wanted to try the Mantis in dry-fire mode before hitting the range. This is something that anyone can do anywhere or anytime to get used to a trigger. I downloaded the app to my iPhone via the AppStore. I assume the Android version is in the Google Play.

When you run the app it asks you turn on Bluetooth if it is not on. What is interesting is that it does not require traditional Bluetooth pairing, it just finds the device. This is nice and time saving if you have ever had to re-sync and setup a device. It then asks you leave the device on a non-moving table for a few seconds while it calibrates. It is then ready to use!

You do have to start/stop your shot groupings for the results (especially averages). I usually do shot groups of 5 and then check the target. I found that sometimes I forgot to stop and then start for the next batch.

I was impressed at how well the app worked, especially its presentation – it looks and behaves very professionally. This is no app that somebody threw together.

My favorite screen is a bulls-eye that onscreen shows where impact would be and the actual travel of the pistol. The tracing is very interesting. I have some detail shots later where you can see the pistols I know are very steady and those I don’t, well, are all over the place. More on that later.

During dry-firing I was pleased that it did not register any false shots even though I had to rack the slide every shot (there is an argument for second strike capability). I was also surprised at how accurate it said I was – of course, dry fire and live fire are two different things! And now to the range with a few Glocks (19c, 23, 32, 30s).

Session 1:

Unfortunately, I made a mistake that basically wasted this entire session. I neglected to change the app from “Dry Fire” to “Live Fire.”

The result? On average only 1 out of every 6 shots was picked up. It picked up even less with the 30s while the 19c did the best. I originally thought that it wasn’t working because I took the Mantis to the range straight out of the box without charging it. What it was able to register shots it did it well. Again, completely my fault.

Session 2:

I was a lot smarter this time and remembered to switch the Mantis into “live fire” mode. I even remembered to charge it the night before. I was time constrained however and only brought the 23, 32, and a 17 (hey, I like Glocks and they had rails).

I found that when switching the Mantis in between pistols or from dry-fire into live-fire mode it was best to turn the Mantis on/off. When I switched to live-fire, for some reason it still wasn’t picking up the shots. A quick reboot and all was well.

Cycling the power is done by holding the power button for a few seconds to turn off and then a quick click to turn it back on. The button is located on bottom of the device and accessible mounted. The button is a bit small. I found that I could kind of use my finger-nail but that a ball-point pen was perfect, especially when needing to hold the button in.

With any change (pistols, modes, etc.) I also found that you need to cycle the app so that it re-syncs with the device.

The session results? They were perfect. The Mantis ran without a hitch on all 3 pistols and very similar to the dry-fire testing. To be fair, the midsize Glock is my CCW and I am very familiar with them.

When I dipped the muzzle or pulled a bit to the left firing (on purpose…yeah, that’s it!) the app clearly showed it with a graphical representation on the bulls-eye screen and even sometimes with helpful accompanying commentary. Example pictures of the app follow later.

The targets mirrored the app. And that gave me pause. If an experienced shooter already knows what they did wrong by the time the bullet is in the air, and then can visually validate it on the target does the Mantis have limited value to them? Aside from its statistics is the Mantis something that should primarily geared towards only new shooters? Before you decide, read Session 3.

Session 3:

Thankfully, I had a lot more time this session.

Feeling confident that I am a decent (no means an expert) shooter I deliberately set out to try it with firearms that I do not normally shoot (I.E., not very good with) – traditional double-actions. I brought an FNX9 and a SIG P226 from the range (unfortunately no rails on my SIGs). I shot them exclusively in DA mode.

The P226 was great! I was off a little and the Mantis showed me that I was pulling the trigger to the left. A few mags later I was able to correct it so that the groupings were at at least tolerable.

The FNX? Wow. I am absolutely terrible with it. It is LNIB and my lack of shooting it showed. I feel confident that more range sessions and practice – with the Mantis definitely will help. But, I kind of want to trade my FNX in for a P226.

I also tried the Mantis with a Beretta APX and a CZ P10c (range pistols). It performed flawlessly. Both those pistols shoot straight, even in my hands. Unrelated, I have become a big fan of the CZ P10c.

The surprise of the shooting session came at the end. I had decided that since I still had little more time to retry the Glock 30s which was still in my range bag. It is a very recent acquisition and to be fair it has been about a decade since I have actively shot 45ACP (gasp). I am “normally” pretty good with it but not on this day. I was not as bad as with my FNX in DA mode but definitely not the nice grouping I was hoping for.

The surprise? The app indicated results completely contrary to what I saw on the target! (Pics follow) Shots that were high showed low were actually high! I am not quite sure what to make of it, but I am curious to what I was doing. I trust that the software is correct and I definitely will be taking it back to the range to figure out.

The Mantis is definitely not solely good for beginners. I don't claim by any means to be an expert but I am normally (except with the FNX) a fair shot. I am impressed with the device and will be using it more.

The product is top notch and professional. The packaging is quite eye-catching (not that it is important) and suitable for dropping into a range bag and bouncing around – a number of people at the range commented on the Pelican case that it comes in. More important is that the software and hardware clearly works with multiple pistol platforms and calibers without any problem. A bonus is that it works at home as a dry-fire training device. I think that they have a great product here and I look forward to running it some more. I will report back anything of interest.

And the obligatory pics!

Opening the box to reveal the MantisX box inside lol

The cool little Pelican Case that the Mantis comes in.

So, what's in the box? Missing from the pic is the little instruction booklet it came with.

The Mantis app settings page

I like Glocks. The Mantis worked with Gen3 and Gen4 Glocks once I set it to "live fire" mode and rebooted the device.

Mid-sized Glocks like me.

A little more information

The APX (top) and FNX (bottom)

The FNX does not love me. Note the "possible causes" that it lists.

My double-action "pull" LOL. Not good.

A few more informational "shots." These can be helpful. I did actually try to generate a few common ones.

Mantis on the CZ P10c.

Mantis on the 30s. Notice that a flat head screwdriver is needed if not using the knurled screw.

Mantis showed that my shots were low and to the left

To the left, but not actually low. Interesting.

Overall stats page

hmm...I am not exactly sure what this is telling me

The Mantis app also has a training mode. Find yourself consistently shooting in one area? Just click on the pie segment

And the app gives you some good advice

I am not sure how I got this, but I included it because the graph was so dramatic

Someone asked me if I knew the status of the EOTech class action lawsuit (Foster vs L-3 EOTech). The official website (http://www.fostersettlement.com/) has not been updated in a while and doesn't show the results of the final approval hearing on 7/7/2017.In fact, website http://www.eotechlawsuit.com/ actually has more up to date information, including that the order was approved and actually has a copy of the order. So what happens next?

I emailed the law firm Heffler for more up to date information and received back:

"Thank you for your correspondence. On July 7th 2017 Final Approval of the Class Action Settlement was granted at the Final Fairness Hearing. Distribution will occur within 30 days of the class action’s effective date, August 7th 2017, barring an appeal of the final approval. Please visit fostersettlement.com for all updates on the case."

Well, it appears that despite SIG's original press release (bottom) that there had been zero cases of discharge submitted to them, they have now issued a voluntary recall (see below).Although I know of only one actual 3rd party video showing a discharge and a lot of hearsay regarding the Dallas PD statements (haven't seen any actual documents) it appears that there is a problem.

I am disappointed to be honest. Drop safeties/transfer bar/firing pin blocks have been a mainstay in most firearms since (at least the 1980's) - especially striker fire pistols. One of the big advantages of the pistol IMO was the trigger. I suspect that the triggers will come back a bit heavier.

Voluntary recall press release from SIG:

From: SIG SAUER - Do Not Reply To This Email<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>Date: Tue, Aug 8, 2017 at 10:44 AMSubject: SIG SAUER Issues Voluntary Upgrade of P320 PistolTo: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Newington, NH (August 8, 2017) – The P320 meets U.S. standards for safety, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / Sporting Arms Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI®), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), as well as rigorous testing protocols for global military and law enforcement agencies.

The design of the SIG SAUER P320 overcomes the most significant safety concern in striker-fired pistols today: the practice of pressing the trigger for disassembly. This can be performed with a round in the chamber which has resulted in numerous incidents of property damage, physical injury, and death. The disassembly process of the P320, however, uses a take-down lever rather than pressing the trigger, eliminating the possibility of discharge during the disassembly process.

Recent events indicate that dropping the P320 beyond U.S. standards for safety may cause an unintentional discharge.

As a result of input from law enforcement, government and military customers, SIG has developed a number of enhancements in function, reliability, and overall safety including drop performance. SIG SAUER is offering these enhancements to its customers. Details of this program will be available at sigsauer.com on Monday, August 14, 2017.

The M17 variant of the P320, selected by the U.S. government as the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS), is not affected by the Voluntary Upgrade.

“SIG SAUER is committed to our approach on innovation, optimization, and performance, ensuring we produce the finest possible products,” said Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER. “Durability, reliability and safety, as well as end-user confidence in the SIG SAUER brand are the priorities for our team.”

SIG SAUER, Inc. is The Complete Systems Provider™, leading the industry in American innovation, ingenuity, and manufacturing. SIG SAUER® brings a dedication to superior quality, ultimate reliability, and unmatched performance that has made it the brand of choice among many of the world’s elite military, government and law enforcement units as well as responsible citizens. SIG SAUER offers a full array of products to meet any mission parameter, including handguns, rifles, ammunition, electro-optics, suppressors, ASP (Advanced Sport Pellet) airguns and training. The largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland, SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified company with more than 1,600 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER, any of its products, or the SIG SAUER AcademySM, please visit on to sigsauer.com.

Terms and conditions: All trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, product names and logos appearing in this email are the property of their respective owners. No trademark or service mark appearing in this email may be used without the prior written consent of the mark’s owner. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, as this email address is used only for sending information about special promotions or surveys. This mailbox is not monitored. If you need assistance or have questions regarding our products or services, please call (603)-610-3000, and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you.

Striker-fired pistol exceeds safety standards of ANSI/SAAMI® and U.S. military testing

Newington, NH (August 4, 2017) – In response to social media rumors questioning the safety of the P320 pistol, a variant of which was selected by the U.S. government as the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS), SIG SAUER, Inc. has full confidence in the reliability, durability and safety of its striker-fired handgun platform. There have been zero (0) reported drop-related P320 incidents in the U.S. commercial market, with hundreds of thousands of guns delivered to date.

The P320 meets and exceeds all U.S. standards for safety, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI), as well as rigorous testing protocols for global military and law enforcement agencies.

All SIG SAUER pistols incorporate effective mechanical safeties to ensure they only fire when the trigger is pressed. However, like any mechanical device, exposure to acute conditions (e.g. shock, vibration, heavy or repeated drops) may have a negative effect on these safety mechanisms and cause them to not work as designed. This language is common to owner’s manuals of major handgun manufacturers.

As a result, individual attempts to perform drop tests outside of professionally controlled environments should not be attempted.

“SIG SAUER is committed to producing only the finest products,” said Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER. “Safety and reliability have been and always will be paramount to the SIG SAUER brand.”

SIG SAUER, Inc. is The Complete Systems Provider™, leading the industry in American innovation, ingenuity, and manufacturing. SIG SAUER® brings a dedication to superior quality, ultimate reliability, and unmatched performance that has made it the brand of choice among many of the world’s elite military, government and law enforcement units as well as responsible citizens. SIG SAUER offers a full array of products to meet any mission parameter, including handguns, rifles, ammunition, electro-optics, suppressors, ASP (Advanced Sport Pellet) airguns and training. The largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland, SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified company with more than 1,600 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER, any of its products, or the SIG SAUER AcademySM, please visit on to sigsauer.com.

Terms and conditions: All trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, product names and logos appearing in this email are the property of their respective owners. No trademark or service mark appearing in this email may be used without the prior written consent of the mark’s owner. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, as this email address is used only for sending information about special promotions or surveys. This mailbox is not monitored. If you need assistance or have questions regarding our products or services, please call (603)-610-3000, and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you.

I got a request for some comarison pics of my Magnaported Glock 43 with my Glock 19c. But first, just a few words about the 19c. Despite hearing many times that they are discontinued they are not. In fact, Glock just released a batch of them for this year's "Glock Summer Special"

(ALSO FEATURING * COMPENSATED PISTOLS)

A few words about my Glock 19c. It is a Gen4 and is made in the U.S.A. It is noteworthy that it is the only Glock that I have ever owned or shot (a lot) that I have ever had problems with. Now, I will caveat this with the fact that I was using very old factory target ammo that is not exactly known for being high powered (i.e. cheap). I am talking about a few failures in the first 100 rounds or so. I am pleased to say that after 300+ rounds, it runs like a champ. However, it is very out of the ordinary so noteworthy. I know that over the 19c's iterations that they now make a cut into the top of the hood - we know there had to be a reason for it. But, it is only one example, so take it for what it is worth.

And now the requested pics:

Notice how big the Glock slide ports are (right) compared to Magnaport's (left)

Comparison of the barrel ports vs slide ports (19c top, 43 bottom)

Notice the top of the barrel. The 19c (top) has a cut in the middle of the hood

More...

Somebody asked me how I liked my Glock 43, which was purchased as a summer carry/backup. I absolutely love the size and the quality. Slap a Taran extension mag plate and it is a perfect size.What I was not super impressed with is the trigger and the muzzle flip. To be honest, I would rather shoot any of the micro-9mm's over it or even my Glock 27.

They really didn't do any work on the connector and the small space changed the geometry enough to impact it negatively. I also installed the Taran connector, and while cleaner it didn't make much of a difference on that initial take up. Even after a quick call and polishing out some of the surfaces leads to an trigger not as nice as say a (gasp) Shield or XDS. But, it is doable, and I see that Lone Wolf now has theirs out.

The little pistol flips a surprising amount in my hand. Again more than some of the competitors including the P938. I fixed that though.

MagnaPort did a spectacular job!! The recoil is negligible - it shoots like a 19 now. The cuts are clean and the blast is vented WELL away from the pistol and the sights.I also own a 19c and to be honest - MagnaPort does a much better job.

The CZ P10 has generated a lot of buzz. I am a long-time CZ fan and I was surprised to see them out as I have only seen a handful of P-01 Omegas and they were introduced and displayed at SHOT 2016. However, folks do appear to be getting P10's so I guess that their Glock 19 competitor is where their focus is. Shouldn't be too surprising since the Glock 19 is their best seller. But I digress. I had high hopes for the P10 but being a Glock "knockoff" (as some are calling it) I wasn't sure of what to expect.

Lots of write ups and videos have been done on the pistols details so I will just give my impressions:

First and foremost is a straight shooter - very accurate out of the box. Very easy for anyone used to striker pistols to pick up and shoot.

Build quality of the pistol is very good. I have always been impressed with CZ's QC. The only very minor exceptions are mentioned below.

The grip fits the hand ergonomically and the trigger is very good - think 3.5# connector-ish with a slightly stronger initial pull (but nowhere as heavy as say a NY1 trigger spring).

Gone is the classic Glock "sproing" when firing! Also, the reset is an almost instant click (for those focusing on this feature).

Recoil is negligible, not that a 19 has recoil, but I would rather shoot a P10 all day over a 19. VERY comfortable to shoot.

The only negatives I potentially saw...

The rear grip is sharper than I expected. Not bad, but noticeable. Similar to the FNX back panel that I never use.The range gun didn't have the option to switch it out.

I didn't have a Glock to hold side-by-side but the P10 does seem marginally bigger. I know that they are supposed to take the same holsters, so maybe that is because the P10 sides are not flat. I wish I had a holster on me to try. I wonder if it will conceal as well as a 19/23/32.

I know that recoil spring assembly (RSA) has little function other than to keep the spring properly "guided" (straight), but every semi-auto has one and they are all pretty much the same. The P10 RSA is a plastic captured unit with a flat spring. Spring was pretty much on par but the guide rod felt cheap. The end on the range pistol was a little chewed up. Cosmetic-only but stuck out on a range pistol only out for less than a week. I regret not getting a picture of it, but if I did you see how minor of a complaint it is.

Perhaps the guide rod was a victim of improper re-assembly which leads me to my next observation - the guide rod notch on the barrel. It is very small and it would be easy to attempt to assemble it with it off. I did a get a picture of it, and it looks pretty good, but the rod doesn't positively snap-in like my other striker pistols. However, it's not bad as say a S&W 3rd gen where if you weren't careful you could launch the non-captured rod and spring across the range.

Anyway, those are minor points - overall this is a great pistol and I think that CZ has a winner! I am definitely getting one, right after my P-01 Omega :)

Wow. It looks like the CA DOJ has modeled their "assault weapons" guidelines off of the NFA. Engraved with a CA specific SN? That is insane. This is exactly the type of thing that gun owners complain about regarding gun control legislation - it NEVER ends. You may have been legal during the last two assault weapon bans, and even complied with the ridiculous requirements like the gun being on the "safe to own exclusively in CA list" and the bullet button ban rendering mag changes impossible without a tool but ... how about "featureless" rifles? .... but .... engraving!!

and there is NEVER and end to the anti-gunners' "but..." part. There will always be one more thing.

I was hoping that they still had the 1927A1's still available, but they have not for awhile. I just kind of want one :)Pricing on the "value series" is very nice. Pricing on the P's has held for quite a few years, which is nice.